1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sports conditioning, and in particular, to a compact and portable device that uses an audio sensor, timer, and an illumination device to provide positive visual feedback to a golfer for the purpose of improving the golf swing.
2. Description of the Background
It is a primary goal of golfers at any level of ability, to maintain a fluid and balanced body position throughout the swing. Most teaching professionals in the sport of golf advocate a steady head position during the initial portion of the golf swing through club contact with the ball. The steady head position is generally taught by instructing the golfer to focus his or her eyes on the ball during the backswing, the downswing, and through ball contact. The golfer is encouraged to maintain eye contact with the target until the club face has completed its contact and the ball has begun its trajectory.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult for the eyes to register the precise moment of the disappearance of the ball, and this creates an overriding tendency to try to follow the ball to see where it went. This, of course, interrupts the fluidness of the swing and often results in poor shot making. This undesirable result is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ccoming off the ball.xe2x80x9d
In many cases the habit of xe2x80x9ccoming off the ballxe2x80x9d is corrected by the persistent assistance of another party, such as a golf instructor, during a lesson or a practice session on the golf driving range. The instructor or other person reminds the golfer to keep his or her head down, monitors the swing, and informs the golfer that he or she has looked up, and so forth. Over time the golfer becomes conditioned to keep his or her head down with respect to the ball. Unfortunately, a large amount of repetition is necessary for this, and an instructor is not typically available to provide such a long interval of instruction.
Developing and retaining the correct posture and movement, commonly referred to as developing xe2x80x9cmuscle memoryxe2x80x9d, can be a long process. Unlike professional golfers who have the time and resources to procure extensive teaching assistance, most amateur or recreational golfers must rely on self-teaching practice. It would therefore be desirable to provide a device that automatically reinforces the correct head-down position throughout the swing in a way that can supplement traditional instruction, and which the golf student can take away from the lesson to prevent the loss of the muscle memory.
A proper golf swing will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3.
FIG. 1 portrays a golfer in the head-down position just prior to commencing the back swing, commonly known as xe2x80x9caddressing the ball.xe2x80x9d It is desirable for the golfer to remain focused along a line X that generally follows the shaft of club C to the ball B.
FIG. 2 portrays a golfer in the same stage of addressing the ball, from the point of view directly behind the golfer in the direction of the desired trajectory of the ball. Again, despite a slight drop of the rear shoulder with respect to the waist and feet, it is desired for the head to follow the line X through to the position of the ball.
FIG. 3 portrays a golfer in a mid-swing position from the same perspective as FIG. 2, where the ball has just left the club and is beginning its trajectory. The golfer has employed his hips and upper body to contribute to the power of the stroke, as shown by the lifting of the rear foot and the turning of the hips. Despite this, the head remains down and the focus of the eyes is, for the moment, squarely on the target along line X. This golfer exhibits the intended proper posture and head and neck position just after contact. However, as described above, and especially with the hips and upper body turning, even a steadfast intention to keep one""s head down is easily derailed when it comes to golf.
There have have been a few prior devices that attempt to condition a golfer into keeping their head down. At least one of these does this by emitting a signal triggered by the audio detection of the club head impact. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,323 to Linenfelser discloses an apparatus which attaches to the hat of the golfer. The sound of the contact between the ball and the club triggers a circuit that activates an audible alarm when the head of the golfer moves improperly. The device requires the golfer to wear a heavily modified baseball-style cap.
The foregoing and most other prior art devices employ negative feedbackxe2x80x94that is, they trigger when an improper position is achieved instead of the proper position. This is much less effective in helping to improve the swing because it does not reinforce the proper position, but merely creates an awareness of the improper position. Furthermore, many such devices use sound as a stimulus and this is less effective because golfers primarily use visual cues to evaluate and adjust swing characteristics. It is much more desirable to provide a positive, visual stimulus.
A few known devices use illumination as a visual stimulus for the purpose of improving a golf swing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,098 to Salmon discloses a light source that attaches to the shaft of a golf club and directs a beam towards the eyes of the golfer. As the golfer swings the club, the path the club follows is illuminated. This illuminated path can be compared to an indicia placed on the playing surface. Devices of this category require attachment of at least part of the apparatus to the golf club. This is highly undesirable because even a small change in the weight, weight distribution, stiffness, or air resistance of a golf club can have a profound effect on the feel of the swing. Also, graphite golf club shafts can be damaged by the application of a concentrated force in the manner that these prior art devices are attached to the circumference of the club shaft. Use of these devices would then likely entail the purchase of additional clubs that must be carried in the golf bag. It is more desirable for a device that suggests proper configuration of the head to be compact, portable, and self-contained.
Also relevant in the prior art are mechanical devices that compel the proper position of the head by restricting the movement of the golfer. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,663 to Calace discloses a mouthpiece attached to a rigid frame, which is in turn attached to a tether which is fastened to the belt or waistband of the golfer. The golfer bites down on the mouthpiece while the frame and the tether act to prevent the movement of the head of the golfer. More than a few golfers would find such a device uncomfortable and unduly complicated.
It is important to note that all of the above-described prior art devices must be worn by the golfer or applied to his or her equipment. Such devices are not generally allowed during non-practice play. Consequently, the golfer is required to adjust his or her swing routine to compensate for the absence of the prior art devices during regulation play.
It should be greatly advantageous to provide a device which is economical and portable enough to fit in the golfer""s pocket or bag, which can be used to condition the proper position of the golfer""s head using positive visual feedback. It would be of further benefit to provide a device as described above which can be used without change or modification of the golfer""s apparel, and which requires no swing adjustments when in use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for delivering positive feedback, in the form of a pulse of directed light, to a golfer who achieves proper head position during the contact portion of the golf swing.
It is a further object of the present invention to deliver a positively reinforcing pulse of directed light to a golfer that is visual in character, and emanating from a point located in proximity to the desired focus of the golfer, which is on the target.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for delivering positive feedback to a golfer that is compact and portable, so that it may be easily carried and used on the golf course and at the driving range.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf swing training device that is small and unobtrusive, and that has no negative impact on the speed of play or etiquette of the sport.
These and other objects are accomplished by the provision of a device in general size and shape of a standard golf tee that can be easily inserted in the ground, which contains a sensing circuit that detects the sound of the contact of the club head with the ball and/or playing surface. The sensing circuitry processes the audio signal created the sound of impact (or alternatively, the visual motion at the point of impact) and sends an electrical signal to a timer. The timer immediately triggers an indicator circuit and counts off a brief delay during which it maintains illumination. The indicator circuit is preferably a limited-field-of-view visual indicator, to provide visual feedback to the golfer shortly after said impact. All components and circuitry are contained in a compact tee-shaped housing adapted for easy placement by the golfer on the ground before the swing.
The golfer is earlier-advised to place the device on the ground near the golf ball (opposite side of the golf hall from the golfer""s position) with the receiver pointed at the golf ball and the visual indicator pointed generally at the golfer""s head position during the swing. Prior to and during the swing the golfer focuses on the target (ball, playing surface, or device) as proper swing technique requires. However, when the club head makes contact the golfer can see the visual indicator illuminate for a brief period within the field of view of his eyes. The visual indicator can only be perceived by the golfer in his/her peripheral vision if his/her eyes (and therefore his/her head) has maintained the desired head position relative to the target. Conversely, if the eyes move prematurely from the target during the swing then the indicator illumination will not be perceived by the golfer.